Arch support shoe



Feb. 4,1936. L, c. BRAND ARCH SUPPORT SHOE Filed May 29, 1935 Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to arch support shoes and the object is toproduce arch supports for embodiment in shoes which will prevent fallenarches and Agive relief and support to arch troubled feet.

Another object is to design the arch support so that when installed inthe shoe, the inner sole will present a smooth surface corresponding tothe natural contour of the bottom of the foot.

The arch support comprises a light weight steel stiiener which supportsthe longitudinal arch, and two resilient pads attached to the steelstiffener near its forward end, the upper of the two pads supporting themetatarsal arch and the lower functioning to absorb shocks, to augmentthe resilience of the stiffener, and to assist in the supportingfunctions of the device as a whole. The invention consists in thecombinae tion of these parts in the relative positions hereinafterdescribed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a shoe embodying my inventionand showing the correct position of the metatarsal bones yof the foot.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the arch support of my invention, shownin dotted lines in its intended position relatively to the foot itsupports.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the arch support.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the same.

As shown in the drawing, the arch support comprises a light weight metalstiifener I having a substantially flat portion II adjacent its forwardedge I2, and curved longitudinally between said portion and the oppositeend portion I3 to provide an upper longitudinally conveX surface |74.The stiiener is also curved transversely whereby the surface Il! is madeconcave provided in the rearward end of the stiffener I0 to facilitateattaching of the support to the shoe such as by nails or brads not shownand by the heel slot indicated. The stiifener is slightly resilient andis attached to the shoe at its rearward end being preferably unattachedat its forward end.

A resilient pad I'I, oval in outline, flat on its lower surface andcrowned on top, and almost half as long as the stiffener, is cemented orotherwise suitably secured to the upper surface of the forward end ofthe stiffener I0. The pad |1 substantially covers the end portion of thestiiener and projects beyond the stiffener end edge I2 and side edgesI5, I5, as indicated by between Vits side edges I5, I5. Apertures ItareV the dotted and full line outlines of the pad |.'I in Fig. 4, theprojecting portions being indicated at |8, I9 and 20. It also extendsupwardly on the stiffener to about one-third the length of the stiffenerI0.

A second pad, indicated at 2l, also made of resilient material, such asrubber or the like, is secured to the bottom of the forward end of thestiiener I0. The pad 2| is substantially flat and oval in shape exceptat the forward margin 22 which is substantially straight. The major axisof the pad 2| is not quite at a right angle to the major axis of the padI'I. The pad 2| is located so as to underlie the end portion I I of thestiffener and to project sidewise and forwardly of the stiffener endportion I I and also beyond the side and end edges of the forward end ofthe pad I'I. The construction is such that the metatarsal arch isspringily supported.

The support I have shown in the drawing is designed for a left shoe, theforward edge I2 being diagonal to the major axis of the device andextending toward the large toe. In a right shoe support thecorresponding parts would be reversed, so that said front edge wouldalso extend diagonally toward the large toe of the right foot.

The outer sole of the shoe is indicated at 23 and the inner sole at 24.The arch support is located between the two soles, as shown in Fig. 1.

The slightly exible stiifener carrying the resilient pads I and 2| is somounted and loc-ated that the forward portion forms a firm but resilientsupport for the metatarsal bones 25 and prevents the formation of gapsbetween the ends of the bones at the points 26. When the space occupiedby the pads II and 2|, adjacent the base of the shank or place where thesole hinges, is not properly filled, the metatarsal bones are notproperly supported and assume a slightly more perpendicular positionwhich results in the formation of gaps between the bone ends at thepoints 2S and consequent breaking down of the arches.

The relative positions of the upper and lower pads on the stiiener andtheir location in the shoe is such that the stiffener does not extendforwardly suiciently to interfere with the hinge action of the sole butthe pads extend forwardly of the edge I2 of the stiffener in suchrelationship to each other that the pad II supports the metatarsal bonesand the pad 2| absorbs shocks and resilently supports the stiifener end.

Changes may be made in details of construction without departing fromthe scope of my invention and I do not intend to be limited to the eXactform shown and described, except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claimz- Y 1. An arch support shoe comprising an arch support extendinglongitudinally beneath the inner soleV on the shank of the shoe, securedto` the shoe at its rearward end and unattached at its forward end, saidsupport consisting of a metal stiffener having an upper surfacelongitudinally convex and a flattened outer end portion, said convexportion being of less length than the shank over which it extends,whereby the flattened end portion projects over and is spaced from thehinge portion between the tread and shank portions of the sole, an uppercrowned resilient pad secured to the forward end portion of thestiffener to overlie approximately one-third of the stiffener surfaceand protruding beyond the forward end, and a flat lower pad secured tothe under side of the stiifener and protruding forwardly and sidewise ofthe forward portion of the upper pad and bridging the hinge portion ofthe tread and shank.

2. An arch support shoe comprising an arch support extendinglongitudinally beneath the inner sole on the shank of the shoe, securedto the shoe at its rearward end and unattac'hed at its forward end, theforward end portion overlying the base of the shank where the solehinges, said arch support comprising a metal stiener the intermediateportion of which is arched to overlie the major portion 'of the shankand the forward end portion is flattened above the base of the shank toextend outwardly towards the tread of the sole in spaced relation to thehinge portion of the shank and tread, and resilient pads secured to theupper and lower surfaces of the forward end of the stiffener, thelongitudinal curvature of the stiffener being such that its forwardportion springily supports the metatarsal bones of the foot of a wearer,and the lower pad being located to underlie the forward end of thestiffener and to protrude beyond the forward end LOUIS C. BRAND. l

